Literary Analysis Of Maya Angelous Caged Bird - 1341 Words

â€Å"Caged Bird Analysis† â€Å"Equal rights, fair play, justice, are all like air: we all have it, or none of us has it.† This quote was taken by the poet Maya Angelou, who stressed the idea of equality in many of her works. One of her poems being, â€Å"Caged Bird.† In the poem the poet references two birds; one who is trapped in a cage, and the other bird who is free. Growing up as an African American in the 1920’s Angelou faced many hardships. She suffered many racial prejudices, and her writing reflects how cruel her society was. When Angelou was younger, a traumatic event happened that left her mute for many years. However, Angelou was very courageous, and nothing could stop her from doing what she loved—poetry. Angelou was inspired by authors†¦show more content†¦The caged bird has been trapped inside of its cage for a long time now, and recognizes its cage as, â€Å"a nightmare.† It still however seeks freedom, by using its voice. The final stanza is a repe at of the third stanza. The tone that is used in the poem stays the same throughout. Angelou would reference the free bird in order for the reader to really comprehend the pain that the caged bird was going through. This would then create tension in the poem. The tension in the poem is caused by the changes of perspectives, which overall deals with an external conflict. This conflict includes the struggle between the caged bird and the barrier that is keeping it hostage. The bird in the cage has a voice, which is being ignored. The free bird also attracts tension by, being the exact opposite from the caged bird. The free bird is very â€Å"joyous,† while on the other-hand the caged bird is completely â€Å"miserable.† Angelou also uses meaning, and word choice to help contribute to the theme of the poem. Some of the connotations in the poem have a big impact on the message, and understanding of the poem. For example, the word â€Å"caged,† has a negative connot ation. The word â€Å"free,† has a positive connotation. Beyond their literal meaning, these words deal with the outside world. The word â€Å"caged,†Show MoreRelatedI Know Why The Caged Bird Sings1482 Words   |  6 Pages Maya Angelou tells of her life experiences and struggles in her book â€Å"I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings† that gives us insight about Maya’s life as a young black girl growing up in a time of racism. The novel discusses various forms of oppression that she had to face as well cope with them. Robert A. Gross wrote an analysis for Newsweek about the book and claimed that Angelou’s book is not only an interesting story of her own experience, but also a portrayal of a Southern black communityRead MoreMaya Angelou: A Model Woman Through Influential Literature Essay1708 Words   |  7 Pagessociety itself. Maya Angelou is a great example of the model woman. She has beaten the odds and has become one of the most well know n African American women of today. She is an author, poet, historian, songwriter, playwright, dancer, stage and screen producer, director, performer, singer, and civil rights activist. Her most influential work comes from her extraordinary books and poems. Her literature has influenced the young and old with their contents. Maya Angelous literary significance restsRead MoreWhy Should Anybody Care?1198 Words   |  5 PagesDOK 1 The concluding section of any written piece that you create is your final chance to make your point. Whether the point is to convince the audience to agree with your perspective, compare and contrast two different texts, or to describe the literary elements that an author used to create his/her text(s), the conclusion should tie everything together. Concluding sections do many jobs, such as: summarizing your points/arguments, restating the purpose of your essay, and connecting to your reader(s)Read MoreMaya Angelou’s Unique Self Essay2562 Words   |  11 Pageschildhood (Angelou, 2009, p.20). In Maya Angelou’s autobiography, I Know Why The Caged Bird Sings, she recounts her early years as a young girl growing up in Stamps, Arkansas who faces displacement, trauma, and prejudice. It is through her character and artistic expression that she is able to overcome the trauma of her childhood and evolve into the distinguished and unique individual that has captivated millions through literature. In her book, I Know Why The Caged Bird Sings, Angelou reflects on theRead More Censorship in the Classroom Essay2774 Words   |  12 Pages The Hobbit and Sounder, and My Brother Sam Is Dead, along with the classics. None of these books ruined my innocence. When I was date-raped the summer I was sixteen -- that ruined my innocence. Since then, I read that Maya Angelous novel I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings has been censored because the rape of eight-year-old Ritie by her mothers boyfriend, Mr. Freeman, is too pornographic. In Moulton, Alabama, the novel was banned in December, 1995, after the superintendent said, When

Civil War Dbq Free Essays

AP US History This DBQ received a 7 Civil War DBQ As American settlers stretched westward in the 1850’s, the ambiguity of the Constitution framed 60 years earlier increased sectional tension over the topic of slavery. Initially, the framers of the constitution left the issue of slavery to be worked out in the country’s future. This in turn convinced the Southern states that their â€Å"peculiar institution† would be â€Å"respected and maintained. We will write a custom essay sample on Civil War Dbq or any similar topic only for you Order Now However, as years passed, the United States acquired more territory, and as more territories applied for statehood, the issue arose whether or not the new states would be admitted as a Slave State or Free State. Americans also disputed the very status of a slave, and whether or not a fugitive slave in the Northern Free States was guaranteed his or her freedom from their masters down south. It was debates like these, due to the vague details of the constitution, that created enormous repercussions– ones that would trigger a series of Slavery related legislation, and ultimately the destruction the union. Following President Polk’s successful victory against the young Republic of Mexico, Americans gained a significant amount of western land including Utah, Nevada, Arizona, New Mexico and most importantly the promising, golden coastal territory of California. To pacify the growing discord between North and South, the Democratic Senator, Stephan Douglas of Illinois, combined 5 Bills that would secure California as a Free State and would abolish slavery in the District of Columbia. It also included the Fugitive Slave Act. In addition, Utah and New Mexico would grant its citizens popular sovereignty. This was the Compromise of 1850. As a result, New Mexico and Utah became slave states. Due to the Federal Constitution’s vagueness, this compromise allowed states to decide for themselves the issue of slavery. Consequently, the most favorable and democratic solution seemed Louis Cass’s idea of popular sovereignty. Four years later, the Kansas-Nebraska Act was passed by Congress, which again allowed popular sovereignty in the Nebraska Territory. This also repealed the Missouri Compromise of 1820, which prohibited slavery north of the 36-30 degree of latitude. As a result, Nebraska became a slave state. However, in the fear of losing Kansas to Anti-Slavery settlers, Pro-Slavery Missourians flooded Kansas to overwhelm the polls on Election Day. Though Slavery had passed in Kansas, it was charged a fraud. In 1856, this erupted into the infamous conflict between the Pro-Slavery â€Å"Border Ruffians† and the John Brown supporters of abolitionism. Nicknamed â€Å"Bleeding Kansas,† it was America’s first violent conflict over the unsettled issue of slavery. As a lame duck, Pro-Slavery President Pierce, relied on settling the conflict with the LeCompton Constitution of 1857—a constitution that would legalize slavery in Kansas. Buchanan, soon after, took office just before congress voted. Though passed by the Senate, the LeCompton Constitution failed in the House of Representatives because Northern Democrats fled to the Republican Party. Pierce’s failure to recognize the depth of the Free-Soiler’s sentiment in the North led the historic Midterm Elections of 1858. Republicans, the Anti-Slavery party established only four years prior, took a plurality in the House of Representatives, foreshadowing Lincoln’s election in 1861 and ultimately, Southern succession. As the creation of Slave and Free States spurred political debate, the individual status of a slave remained questionable due to legislation being nonexistent in the Constitution. Following the Compromise of 1850, the Fugitive Slave Act pressured Northerns to recapture and return slaves that fled north. This mandate became the first constitutional law that limited the rights of slaves, nonetheless â€Å"forcing slavery down the throats† of Free Soilers in the north. Northerns could now no longer ride the fence, because now they were coerced by law to act. This also strengthened the Abolitionist movement led by William Lloyd Garrison, which had already picked up momentum from Harriett Beacher Stowe’s best-selling novel, Uncle Tom’s Cabin, published in 1852. Another historic event that resulted in the Constitution’s ambiguity was the Supreme Court case Scott v. Sanford. Being a former slave residing in the free-state of Wisconsin, Dred Scott sued for his freedom. However, in 1857 Chief Justice Roger B. Taney ruled by â€Å"majority opinion† that any blacks, regardless of their territory, possessed no right to sue. They had rights. This decision angered many Northerns because the ruling was based off opinion alone. There was no clear Constitutional law that had justified prohibiting the rights of Northern free black. Moreover, to maintain national unity, the original absence of any constitutional restriction or protection of the institution of slavery led to sectional discord. Such tension between North and South, due to their polarizing philosophical views on slavery, led individual states to decide whether or not they were Pro- or Anti-Slavery. In addition, Federal (Pro-Slavery) legislation ironically began to deny the citizenship of even Free Blacks within Free States, which seems almost hypocritical for the Pro-Slavery leaders to proclaim States’ Rights to justify their succession. However, because there was no constitutional restriction, Southerns lawfully claimed had the right to succeed from the Union, and did so in 1861 out fear of Lincoln’s Freeport Doctrine. Therefore, because the constitution circumvented the issue of slavery to achieve national unity, the addition of new states reintroduced the sectional discord rooted in slavery, which ultimately dissolved the union. How to cite Civil War Dbq, Essays

Catholic Church And Contraception Essay Example For Students

Catholic Church And Contraception Essay The issue of contraception has been an extremely controversial and debated onein the Catholic Church. The Catholic religion declares that the threerequirements for healthy sexual expression include a mutual physical drive forpleasure, intimacy and committed love between the couple, and the openness toprocreation and parenting children. This last aspect is the subject of muchdisagreement between people both inside and outside the church community. Theauthoritative voice of the church, the Magisterium, holds that artificialcontraception is a sin and only accepts the form of contraception called NaturalFamily Planning. This method involves avoiding sexual intercourse during certaintimes of the month and will be explained in more detail shortly. There aresituations which are argued should be exceptions, such as rape, a family whoalready has children and can afford no more, and the overall health of thecouple involved in the sexual relationship. The viewpoint of the Church is anold one, b ut the Magisterium claims that it will not change anytime soon. Thereare many different types of contraception available. Type one classifiedcontraception includes barrier methods such as condoms, diaphragms, the cervicalcap, and spermicides. Type two classified contraception is hormonal methods,such as birth control pills, emergency contraception or the morning afterpill, IUDs and Norplant. Type three contraception is Natural FamilyPlanning, the only type approved by the Church. Natural Family Planning issometimes confused with the rhythm method, but it actually more effective thanrhythm. NFP is a method that involves careful regulation of a womansmenstrual cycle to determine when her fertile period falls begins. The day ofovulation and a few days before is considered a womans fertile periodand by either avoiding or participating in intercourse during these days, awoman can decrease or increase her chances of pregnancy respectively. The signsthat a woman is close to ovulation are a n increase in basal temperature, changesin vaginal secretions, an opening of the cervical os, physical symptoms such ascramps or moodiness, and an increase in sexual desire. It is important tocarefully monitor all these aspects to ensure proper prevention of pregnancy. This practice is accepted by the Catholic Church because they defend that theintegration of intimacy between partners and the receptivity to procreation arenot obstructed. It is important to observe how we ended up at the teaching thechurch now holds dealing with contraception and sexuality. Throughout thecenturies, many different decisions from the church have influenced the viewthat is now held. In 306, the Council of Elvira found that a priest who wassexually intimate with their wife the night before a mass would lose his job. Atthe Council of Nicea in 325, the rule that priests could not marry after beingordained was created, and in 385, they could no longer sleep with their wives. The first chastity rules were then being formed for religious people. St. Augustine had a profound impact on sexual teachings. He lived from 354-430 as aphilosopher and theologian, recently converted from a sinful life. It isbelieved that St. Augustine developed the first codified teachings of sexuality. He deeply believed the philosophy of Manichaeism, which states that matter isevil opposed to spirit. His teachings were very specific and strict. Stoicphilosophy influenced St. Augustine to require that procreation be the primaryfocus of sexual intercourse and marriage. This teaching was held in the churchall the way until Vatican II. St. Augustine was the first to condemn abstinenceduring the fertile period and coitus interruptus. He did not believe thatthe pleasure involved with sex should in any way be the motivation, but wasacceptable as a necessary side effect. St. Augustine did not view sex interms of love or expression, but simply as a procreative act necessary for life. The Second Council of Tours in 567 excommunicated any religious person found inbed with their wife. In 580, the church leader was Pope Pelagius II who had arather casual outlook on sexual matters. He did not want to bother the clergyand rather looked the other way from the corruption going on. Pope Gregory theGreat served from 590-604 and stated that all sexual desire in any form waswrong. Throughout the world, sexuality was a key issue. Seventh century Francefound most priests to be married. Germany, in the eighth century, reportedthrough St. Boniface that hardly any bishops were following their call tocelibacy. The Council of Aix-la-Chapelle in 836 found that abortions and killingof infants were being practiced in convents and monasteries to concealuncelibate activities of the religious staff. St. Ulrich fixed thisproblem by allowing priests to marry. St. Thomas Aquinas was a key religiousfigure of the Scholastic Period. He was the first to publicly discuss thegoodness of sexuality with reason. He stressed the use of ones conscience todetermine what is right and wrong. He, as well, agreed that sexuality andmarriage should have its main purpose as procreation. Although Aquinas held thebeliefs of many former theologians, there was more leniency towards sexualpleasure. Pope Boniface IX resigned the papacy in order to marry in 1045. In1074, Pope Gregory VII made it necessary for anyone being ordained to take anoath of celibacy. The extremity of this was seen in 1095 when Pope Urban II soldthe wives of priests into slavery and left all children of them abandoned. TheFirst Lateran Council took place in 1123, where Pope Calistus II found allclerical marriages to be officially invalid. This council was supported in theSecond Lateran Council. The Renaissance was quickly approaching and literatureand art were beginning to stress procreation in relationships. The Council ofTrent, from 1543-1563, declared that celibacy and virginity were superior tomarriage. St. Alphonsu s Ligouri, a doctor of the church, was one of the first tostate that an important part of marriage was a means for sexual expression. TheTwentieth Century brought with it many of the most significant documents andmeetings influencing todays stance on sexuality and contraception. TheLambeth Conference took place in 1930 and decided that couples could makedecisions about contraception themselves, but that contraceptives were notapproved by the Church in any way. Pope Pius XI wrote his encyclical, CastiiConubii, in 1940, stating that procreation should be the primary end for sexualintercourse in a marriage. He stated any use of marriage whatever, in theexercise of which the act is deprived of its natural power of procreating life,violates the law of God and nature, and those who commit anything of this kindare marked with the stain of grave sin. (Pope Pius XI). In his Address toMidwives in 1951, Pope Pius XII condemned artificial contraceptives and declaredthat this ruling could not be changed. Pope Pius XII did, however, condoneNatural Family Planning and the rhythm method and became the first time to allowsex apart from procreation. In 1965, Vatican Council II: Constitution on theChurch in the Modern World took place. Pope Paul VI delayed making a decision onthe proposition to have human nature and his acts as the governing principle insexuality at this conference. He was awaiting the presentation by Pope JohnXXIII of the decisions made at the Meetings of the Birth Control Commission,which took place from 1963-1966. Theologians, cardinals, bishops, priests, andlaypeople met to discuss sexual issues, including that of contraception. Thedecision reached was that the previous teachings of the church were notinfallible, that artificial contraception was not evil, and that Catholicfamilies should have freedom to decide their method of family planning. Thesedecisions, however, were overturned by Pope Paul VI in Humanae Vitae in 1968. Marijuana Essay ThesisMany people see hope in reform in the near future despite the insistence by theChurch that these decisions are final. One nun has even made headlines byresigning her sisterhood and devotion to God because of her disagreement withthe way Church has dealt with these issues. Sr. Lavinia Byrne explains herposition by stating I am resigning because of the pressure from theCongregation for the Doctrine of the faith the burden has become intolerable. They are using techniques that seem to belong to mother age and are behavinglike the Inquisition. I feel bullied. (Malcolm 8). There are several reasons whythe present teaching can be changed however. Firstly, the teaching of HumanaeVitae is not infallible, but is only a part of Catholic tradition. Natural lawdetermines a large portion of teachings throughout time and as the way societyworks changes, the teachings of the Church move with it. There is no purenature and there is always room for change and this could lead to a change ofteaching. Also, the Church, in the past, followed many practices that seemridiculous today such as slavery, indulgences, and persecution of women. Theculture that these practices were in changed, and thus, so did the stance of theChurch. This has set a precedent that is expected to be followed. Contraceptionhas been termed a mortal sin, but this would require a grave matter, fullknowledge of seriousness of what you are doing, and sound consent of mind and will. The questionable aspect is the gravity of the sin. The faithful members ofthe Church community have, for the most part, rejected the current teaching. Even those Catholics who are extremely religious use contraceptives, and usuallyfor very good reason. An alarmingly high percentage of Catholics use artificialbirth control, and very few agree with the Church on the evil involved withcontraception. Natural Law was named as one of the factors involved in thetemporary status of the current teaching. There are many differences in howsexuality is incorporated into our society today, compared to the time periodwhen this teaching was created. Rahner, as well, states that The Church ismaking authentic pronouncements which are promulgated by the Magisterium, whichare, for their arguments, dependent on justifications and proofs taken from thesecular sciences and universal human reason. (Rahner 33). The differencestoday that could influence some kind of change include several important aspectsof society. First, females are becoming much more independent and appreciated inthese days. A womans experiences of wifehood, motherhood, and sex are tak eninto account and not looked down upon. Probably the most important change iscontinuing education. Marriages are delayed until mid-twenties and earlythirties on average because of peoples desire to go to college and graduateschools. This leads to longer (and probably more) relationships and a differentmaturity about sex. Artificial contraception is more strongly needed in casessuch as these. Other people these days are just not opting to marry or arehomosexual. Procreation is not in anyway a focus anymore, but is more of anunwanted incident that is possible. Contraception, whether artificial ornatural, is obviously not favored by the Church, but the latter is allowed as acompromise it sometimes seems. The teachings and advisements are rather blatant,but it has been shown that couples are still turning away from the Church onthis matter. Many religious teachers, because of the strong opposition bothwithin and outside the Church, instruct their followers to go with what theirconscien ce feels is right and to use the Churchs teaching as an advisement. To this day though, if one was to strictly follow the teachings of theMagisterium, artificial contraception would be out of the question and toregulate pregnancy, Natural Family Planning would be the right choice. BibliographyCahill, Lisa Sowle. Can We Get Real About Sex? Commonweal 14 Sept. 1990: 497-503. Catholic Church: Pope John Paul II. Familiaris Consortio. Boston:Daughters of St. Paul; 1981. Catholic Church: Pope Paul VI. Humanae Vitae. Catholic Mind. Sept. 1968: 54-55. Harris, Peter. On Human Life: An Examinationof Humanae Vitae. London: Burns Oates; 1968. International HumanaeVitae Conference. America 25 Sept. 1993. Kaufman, Philip, ODB. Why You CanDisagree and Remain a Faithful Catholic. New York: Crossroads Publ.; 1988. Malcolm, Teresa. Bullied By Vatican, Nun to Leave Order NationalCatholic Reporter 21 Jan. 2000: 8-9. Rahner, Karl and Herbert Vorgrimler. Dictionary of Theology. New York; Crossroads Publ,; 1981. Ribadeneira, Diego. Vatican Sets the Record Straight: Its Views on Sex Are Unchanged. BostonGlobe 2 Oct. 1999: B2. Ward, Stephen. Society: Birth Control: Baby Faith GoodCatholics Could Not Use Contraception, Said the Priests. But Now It May Be aMatter for Individual Conscience. The Guardian 29 Apr. 1998: T002. Winikoff,Beverly and Suzanne Wymelenberg. The Whole Truth About Contraception: A Guide toSafe and Effective Choices. Washington D.C.: Joseph Henry Press; 1997. Religion

Regulation in the Financial Crisis 2008

Introduction The US led global financial crisis that struck in 2007 and persisted through 08 and 09 adversely affected the stability of the global economy. The impact of the crisis escalated far beyond its point of origin (US) and affected the countries around the world while spilling over from the financial system into the real economy.Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on Regulation in the Financial Crisis 2008 specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More The implications of the crisis were wide ranging and still difficult to conceptualize. This has led to extensive analysis of the financial crisis by policy makers and financial analyst in a bid to develop and formulate measures that would avert future crises and stabilize the global economy. While numerous claims have been put forth to explain the causes of the 2007-2009 financial crisis, there is almost a universal agreement that the major causes of the financial crisis was t he combination of a credit boom and a housing bubble that took place in the United States. The post 2007 crisis consequently features the establishment of numerous regulatory initiatives offering diagnoses and presenting recommendations for financial stabilization. Through literature review, the research paper analyses the varying causes that the crisis has been attributed to, the policies which various major governments sought to implement in response to the crisis, the effectiveness and failures of such policies. The research paper further proposes the alternative areas of focus that may serve to avert future crisis in order to achieve consistent financial stability. Reasons for the 2007-09 global financial crises The decline in the US housing market resulting from the failure of sub prime mortgages and mortgage backed securities coupled with an ensuing credit boom marked the beginning of the financial crisis (Canster Cannex 2011). The housing market suffered a major blow as the m ajority homeowners defaulted on the (sub prime) loans. As a consequence of borrowers defaulting on loans, the financial institutions faced a major challenge as they repossessed the property at a loss which led to a liquidity crisis in banks and their lending capacity was consequently diminished (Obersteiner 2011). In addition, there was lack of confidence by US investors which led to emergence of a credit crunch. The consumer confidence was limited due to widespread uncertainties in the economy. While the housing bubble and the credit crunch in United States has been widely attributed as the major cause of the 2007 financial crisis, a valid argument still stands that the crisis resulted from poorly regulated lending by financial institutions.Advertising Looking for essay on business economics? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More The collapse of major financial institutions led to widespread panic as governments across the globe s truggled to rescue the major financial institutions in their regions from collapsing. The Australian government launched the stimulus packages which were aimed at rescuing the collapsing economy while the government of United States proposed a $700 billion rescue plan (Obersteiner 2011). This was met with substantial opposition by congressmen who felt that such spending of taxpayers’ money to rescue Wall Street investment bankers was not justified. Metodi Lazarov (2009) argued that if liquidity was the actual cause of the global financial crisis, then providing more liquidity through reduced interest rates that made borrowing easier would have been appropriate in solving the situation. He cites the ignorance of major financial institutions on their own business models of secularization as the major cause of persistent financial crisis. He further attributes the crisis to globalization, financial innovation and asymmetry of information (Lazarov 2009). Lazarov suggests that the presence of liquidity effects increases the chances of systemic breakdown of any given connectivity between financial institutions which may have caused the crisis. While he agrees that the financial system contained the effects from the housing bubble, he emphasizes on the need for a new and advanced regulatory framework which will shape the financial systems in the future. Fiscal measures are also among the main reasons why investors ran into large risky market such as sub prime which has been cited as a major cause of the 2007 financial crisis. The US government’s move to issue mortgage backed securities coupled with the relative decline in prime mortgage set the stage for the onset of the financial crisis (Lazarov 2009). This saw a significant increase in sub prime mortgage lending which was not in adherence to the government and financial regulations. Further, nationalization of the Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac led to increased investor confidence which led to over relian ce of market participants on government guarantees (Lazarov 2009). Responses of Major Economies to the Global Financial Crisis Australia In Australia, the financial crisis struck at a time when the local economy was suffering from massive inflation. In response to these challenges, the Australian government announced its stimulus packages worth $ 10.4b and the government further sought to guarantee the bank deposits (Canster Cannex 2011).Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on Regulation in the Financial Crisis 2008 specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More The economic stimulus played a major role in improving the economy which was suffering from recession and incorporated government transfer payment to consumers which in turn increased sales especially over 2008 Christmas period. The government also provided assistance to various sectors in the economy such as the automotive industry since lenders had lost confidence in the m arket leaving banks as the only credit providers. As the condition of the economy continued to worsen in the beginning of 2009, the government announced a second stimulus package where the government injected $ 47 billion to boost the economy which was then allocated to ailing sectors such as education, housing, infrastructure, small businesses, as well as provision of cash bonuses (Canster Cannex 2011). Consequently, the country suffered less impact of the global financial crisis relative to other major economies of the world. Financial experts argued that the county’s economy was more insulated but evidence of general slowdown in the housing market, and unemployment was still evident in the Australian economy and some questioned the massive government packages claiming that they would haunt the country’s economy in the future as they seek to repay debt. United States In the United States, the financial crisis stimulated substantial debate regarding the governance of global financial markets with the policy makers calling for the creation of a global financial regulator to monitor both domestic financial markets and ensure that other countries implement adequate prudential regulations (Zimmermann 2010). The 2007 financial crisis which set off as the US housing market collapsed offered no guarantee of US leadership in the creation and modification of suitable global financial standards. In deed, the US regulators faced major challenges in trying to focus on the international economy while its internal economy was falling apart. The early stages of the crises were therefore characterized by deep cuts in the US federal funds interest rates nationalization of Northern Bank UK, introduction of the term auction facility at the Federal Reserve, the take over of a major investment bank, Bear Stearns, among other measures (Obersteiner 2011). However, some of the interventions put forth only served to prolong the crisis rather than providing a solution to the situation. In December of 2007, the US government introduced the term auction facility which made it easier for banks to borrow from federal reserves (Taylor 2008). The measure was aimed at increasing the flow of credit in the money market through the reduction of interest rates. This saw a substantial reduction of spreads in the money market during the initial periods of its implementation but this trend only lasted for a short period of time.Advertising Looking for essay on business economics? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More The government’s temporary cash infusions implemented under the stimulus Act of 2008 which aimed at sending financial support amounting to over $ 100 billion to individuals and families in the United States was not successful either. Just like the liquidity facilities, the temporary cash infusions were not focused on dealing with the underlying causes of the financial crisis and since the rebate was financed through borrowing rather than money creation, the policy only served to intensify national debt (Taylor 2008). The failure of this policy was further intensified by consumer’s failure to spend as predicted by the permanent income theory of consumption. Consumer spending remained limited due to widespread uncertainties and the consumption was not jumpstarted according to the policy maker’s expectations which consequently increased income rather than consumption. The initial cuts in interest rates in 2008 which saw the federal funds rate target decrease to 2% presented a major challenge to an economy that was already struggling with a credit crunch. Slight reduction in interest rates would perhaps have been effective in rectifying the situation. However, this was only achievable if the interest rates cuts were much less aggressive. The sharp cuts in the federal funds rates led to the depreciation of the dollar which in turn resulted in plummeting of world oil prices evidenced by the doubling of prices from $ 70 per barrel to $ 140 in a period of one year (Taylor 2008). United Kingdom The United States credit crisis appeared as a foreign concern for United Kingdom in the early 2007 (Tindall 2007). However, in mid 2007, when BNP Paribas announced that it would be unable to withdraw funds from its hedge funds and Northern Rock requested for emergency financial support from the Bank of England, the effect of the financial crisis became a reality in the region. In response to the crisis, the Prime Minister Gordon Brown, Chancellor of the Exch equer Alistair Darling, and the Bank of England governor Mervin King sought to implement policies which were aimed at managing the global financial crisis that had hit the region’s economy. The measures included the nationalization of financial institutions and purchase of risky assets (Tindall 2009). The financial regulators in UK ensured that the value added tax was reduced from 17.5% to 15%, the pension for the aged was raised while the government introduced new tax breaks (Tindall 2009). A total of  £ 300 billion was injected into the economy in an attempt to salvage the situation while the bank interest rates were slashed to a historic 0.5 in March 2009 after the 50 billion pound rescue package failed to take effect in the preceding months (Obersteiner 2011). Effectiveness of International Regulation in Dealing with the Crisis The severity of the global financial crisis revealed major weaknesses in the international architecture for prudential financial regulation that has been constructed since the mid 1970s (Zimmerman 2010). While policy makers responded to the crisis through a flurry of ambitious initiatives to reform international standards and strengthen the international regulatory regimes, the questions remain as to whether the regulation of global finance will safeguard the global economy against such crisis in the future and to what extent the financial regulation system should be changed in response to the crisis. This would only be effective if applied on a global scale since the regulations may impose a greater cost on domestic firms than foreign markets resulting in disequilibrium. It is evident from the severity of the global financial crisis that there are substantial weaknesses in the international financial regulation mechanism. Consequently, the aftermath of the crisis saw the formulation of numerous reports and regulatory initiatives which were published by national regulatory agencies, financial industry associations and inter national standards setting bodies. The financial stability forum further integrated these initiatives into a unified international coordinated response which was released in 2008 and incorporated over sixty recommendations to the crisis. While the policy presented through the financial stability forums were quickly endorsed by the G7 among other major international bodies, the effectiveness of the recommendations in the long run remained in question. Since the international financial regulation has emerged in response to the power and interest of the world’s major economies, most of these policies favoured the sectors where leading states could reap benefits while the areas where they would incur greater costs were narrowed in scope. Consequently, the measures proposed served to benefit the major world economies and continued to economically oppress the developing economies. In the analysis of the 2007 global financial crisis, the lasting power of US and Britain economies glo bal financial regulation should be critically analyzed. This is because the domination of these countries in the global market has adversely affected the global economy due to the fragmented, weak, and exclusive institutional context that has emerged in the recent past. Indeed, David Singer agrees that the central role played by United States in the global economy requires able leadership and ambitious regulatory regimes in absence of which results in increasingly vague principles and guidelines which puts the future of the economy at risk (Zimmermann 2010). Elliot Posner further observed that the European Union was very eager to use their economic influence to export EU models to the international level during the crisis (Zimmermann 2010). The fact that the financial crisis hit at a time when the European Union had increased its capacity to influence international regulatory outcomes due to intensified regional integration and its increasing financial market size further raises a l ot of concerns regarding the effectiveness of these economies in international financial regulation. Governments and policy makers should therefore aim at ensuring the shift of power from major economies by diminishing the role of US and British financial markets and major firms in international regulation and putting less emphasis on their financial power which stems from the reputation of New York and London financial centres (Zimmermann 2010). Although the East Asia and other emerging powers are not ready to take on the leadership role in international regulation politics, their active contribution to international regulation seeks to challenge the status quo and are more critical of the existing international standards in banking regulations which may lead to reforms necessary to ensure future stability of the global economy (Zimmermann 2010). Domestic Policies and the Financial Crisis Past literature has revealed that when the domestic societal actors are engaged in debates abo ut international financial regulation, the scope is often narrow relative to other economic areas such as trade politics (Zimmermann 2010). This is primarily due to the complexity of issues involved, the consequences, and an institutional context that in most advanced countries gives financial analysts and regulators considerable autonomy from domestic interests and legislative assemblies. Societal actors who take active interests in constructive international financial debates are financial market participants who are directly affected by international regulations. These actors are mostly concerned with adjustment costs of new standards and view international regulation coordination as a means to gain access to a greater market share. Consequently, they often oppose intrusive regulatory measures and support market driven solutions which limits the efficiency of measures presented to solve the financial crisis. Domestic politics have indeed played a major role in the financial crisi s with the large scale use of the tax payers’ money to rescue financial institutions being used as a tool for politicizing financial regulations especially in the United States and Britain. Consequently, domestic politics unleashed pressure in favour of stronger regulation policies and increased the involvement of legislative bodies in financial regulation (Zimmermann 2010). Consequently, the severity of the 2007 financial crisis demanded the generation of new kinds of regulations for defensive reasons at a time of weakened political legitimacy and for improvement of industries, confidence restoration, and increasing market share. However, the politicization of financial regulation in Europe had an effect of weakening the association between European Union policy entrepreneurs and multinational financial firms which hindered the effectiveness of such policies in solving the financial crisis. Conclusion and Recommendations The global financial crisis of 2007 adversely affected the global economy leading to a recession. While many causes have been put forth to explain the reasons for its occurrence, the housing bubble and the credit crisis in the US have been cited as the major causes of the crisis. In order to reduce the likelihood of such crisis from occurring in the future, much emphasis has been put on increased international financial regulation. However, the appropriate policy response to the crisis extends beyond tougher international regulations to smarter requirements combined with effective political and financial leadership (IMF 2009). This is because as evidenced in the crisis, the banking sector which is already highly regulated proved vulnerable to the systemic shock which has been attributed to lack of coordination and adequate communication in the sector. Consequently the government and financial regulators should aim at restoring the market disciplines, address the fiscal risks posed by systemic institutions, and restoring the level and q uality of bank capital in order to avoid such crisis from occurring in the future (IMF 2009). In addition, the role of international financial regulation should be delegated to both major and developing economies in order to promote efficiency and avoid conflict of interests. Reference List Canster Cannex, 2011. Global Financial Crisis-What Caused It And How The World Responded? Web. International Monetary Fund, 2009. Global Financial Stability Report: 40095. Washington D. C., International Monetary Fund. Lazarov, M., 2009. The Global Financial Crisis 2007-2008: Crisis of Human Knowledge and Government Intervention. Web. Obersteiner, T. Schemes To Asset Relief Measures and Restructuring Plans: EU State Aid Policy And Banking Institutes During The Financial Crisis. Germany, GRIN Verlag. Taylor, B. J., 2008. Financial Crisis and the Policy Responses: An Empirical Analysis of What Went Wrong. Web. Tindall, K., 2009. Framing the Global Economic Downturn: Crisis Rhetoric and the Politics of Recession. Australia, ANU E Press. Zimmermann, H., 2010. Global Finance in Crisis: The Politics of International Regulatory Change. New York, Taylor and Francis. This essay on Regulation in the Financial Crisis 2008 was written and submitted by user Orphan-Maker to help you with your own studies. You are free to use it for research and reference purposes in order to write your own paper; however, you must cite it accordingly. You can donate your paper here.

A Single Man (1964) by Christopher Isherwood

A Single Man (1964) by Christopher Isherwood Christopher Isherwood’s A Single Man (1962) is not Isherwood’s most popular or most lauded work, even after the recent Hollywood movie, starring Colin Firth Julianne Moore.  That this novel is one of the â€Å"lesser read† of Isherwood’s novels speaks volumes for his other works, because this novel is absolutely beautiful.  Edmund White, one of gay literature’s most respected and prominent authors, called A Single Man â€Å"one of the first and best models of the Gay Liberation movement† and it’s impossible to disagree. Isherwood himself said that this was the favorite of his nine novels, and any reader might imagine that it would be quite difficult to top this work in terms of emotional connectivity and social relevance.   George, the main character, is an English-born gay man, living and working as a literature professor in Southern California.  George is struggling to readjust to â€Å"single life† after the death of his long-time partner, Jim.  George is brilliant but self-conscious. He is determined to see the best in his pupils, yet knows few, if any, of his students will amount to anything.  His friends look to him as a revolutionary and a philosopher, but George feels he’s simply an above-par teacher, a physically healthy but noticeably aging man with little prospects for love, though he seems to find it when determined not to look for it. The language flows beautifully, even poetically, without seeming self-indulgent. The structure – like short bursts of thought – is easy to keep pace with and seems to function almost in tune with George’s day-to-day musings.  What’s for breakfast?  What’s happening on the way to work?   What am I saying to my students, but what do I hope they’re hearing?   This is not to say that the book is an â€Å"easy read.†Ã‚   In fact, it is emotionally and psychologically haunting.  George’s love for his deceased partner, his loyalty to a broken friend, and his struggle to control lustful emotions for a student are effortlessly expressed by Isherwood, and the tension is brilliantly constructed.  There is a twist ending which, had it not been built with such ingenuity and genius, could read as something quite clichà ©.  Fortunately, Isherwood gets his point across without having to sacrifice his (or the reader’s) imme rsion into the plot line.  This was a balancing act pulled off immaculately – truly impressive. One of the more disappointing elements of the book may be the result of the novel’s length.   George’s simple, sad life is so ordinary but has so much promise; our understanding of this is largely due to George’s internal monologue – his analysis of every action and emotion (typically literary-inspired).  It is easy to imagine that many readers would enjoy getting more of the back story between George and Jim and more of the relationship (little as it existed) between George and his student, Kenny.  Some might be disappointed by George’s kindness to Dorothy; indeed, readers have consistently expressed that they would not have been able, personally, to forgive such a transgression and betrayal. This is the only inconsistency in an otherwise wholly believable plot line, though, and will likely be subject to reader-response, so we can hardly call it an outright fault. The novel takes place in the course of one day, so the characterization is about as well-developed as it can be; the emotion of the novel, the desperation and sadness, are genuine and personal. The reader at times might feel exposed and even violated; sometimes frustrated and, at other times, quite hopeful.  Isherwood has an uncanny ability to direct the reader’s empathy so that she might see herself in George and thereby find herself to be disappointed in herself at times, proud of herself at other times. Ultimately, we all are left with the sense of knowing who George is and of accepting things as they are, and Isherwood’s point seems to be that this awareness is the only way to live a truly satisfied, if not happy, life.

Akhism, Guild system in the ottoman empire

Akhism, Guild system in the ottoman empire GUILD SYSTEM IN THE OTTOMAN EMPIRE: FROM AKHISM TO GEDIK SYSTEM Akhism which is an organization founded by the Turkish people in Anatolia, is an important guild system for the Ottoman State when we take its regulatory role (of the social order) into consideration. In this paper, I will give detailed information about Akhism until its removal, including its origin, its importance, its guild organization, its norms and its roles in the society. Akhism; being an Arabic word which meant â€Å"brotherhood†, was the name given to the unions of artisans (esnaf) and craftsmen (zanaatà §Ãƒâ€žÃ‚ ±) between the 13th and 20th centuries. Akhi organizations were the associations which have been training their own craft members, which have been organizing and controlling the economic constitutions of the society (ÇaÄÅ ¸atay, 1989:1) and as in all pre-capitalist societies, in Ottoman State, production was organized within the guild organization which had four levels as â€Å"er rand boy† (à §Ãƒâ€žÃ‚ ±rak), â€Å"apprentice† (yamak), â€Å"qualified workman† (usta), and â€Å"master† (Belge, 2005:312). Western orientalists say that the origins of the Akhism go back to the Islamic Futuwah tradition. The Arabic word Futuwah means youthful qualities. These youthful qualities are courage, generosity, hospitality and being skilled in all kinds of physical exercises (ÇaÄÅ ¸atay,1989:2-3). Although some Western social scientists think that Futuwah and Akhism have the same meaning and the same role, Ã…Å ¾anal and which is existing within the society, not being separated from it. Akhi organization which is based on the rules put by Islam scholars tries to provide ethical and well-behaved lifestyle to the artisans; and to ameliorate their craft level to a certain degree to protect standardization. Akhism is seen as the consequence of the service lacks of the state such as supplying security to the individuals, to their proper ties and to their honor; altering communication and education system, and providing equality of rights where there is not a strong juridical system. It is said that in Anatolia, Turkish people shaped and developed Futuwah organization and formed Akhism which is more different than Futuwah and which is proper to Turkish people. Although Futuwah tradition was more authoritarian about religion; and was commanding to the artisans to obey to the Islamic authority; Akhis had a big deal at the issues of economy and politics besides the morality. While Futuwah tradition gave more importance to the individual virtues and military characteristics; Akhism was an organization which helped Ottoman State to put military and administrative institutions in order and which constituted artisan and craftsmen corporations (CaÄÅ ¸atay, 1989: 1). The contribution of the guild system in the Ottoman State’s foundation period may not be despised (Belge, 2005:312). In Anatolia, the foundation of the Akhi organizations was the result of political and socio-economical necessities. At the 13th century, Turks who arrived in Anatolia from Turkestan for escaping from Mongolian invasion formed craft and commercial organizations among themselves to protect their solidarity and to survive amongst the native Byzantine craftsmen. They thought that they could exist only if they sell high quality and standard goods, in a sense by improving their own craft and commercial organizations. The organizations adopted the futuwwatnamas’ religious and moral rules as their laws and this led to the foundation of Akhism with the leadership of Akhi Evran and Abul-Hakaik Mahmud. Later, Akhi organizations were divided into 32 main branches of trade or art and fixed 740 Principles in their futuwwatnamas to form the moral and religious life. Every Akhi had to know 124 necessary Principles (Cagatay, 1989:48-51).

Timeline and Mind Map Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Timeline and Mind Map - Essay Example Maslow identifies five main concepts of human needs including physical, self-actualization, esteem, love, and safety requirements. After a review of the dynamic needs, Maslow further introduced new concepts into the motivation factors. For instance, cognitive needs came into lights. Knowledge and meaning are important aspects that motivate people towards management needs. Aesthetic needs such as appreciation, balance, form and beauty plays an integral role in the management. A working environment without these factors offer not only a platform of failure but also a denial of human needs. Locke believes a relationship exists between how difficult to perform a specific task and a goal. In many instances, goals are either too easy or vague. It, therefore, is important to formulate SMART goals that are specific and objective. Locke believes success in any management setup without goals is impossible. As a result, he came up with various strategies of setting goals that are both reachable and realistic. Undoubtedly, Locke’s theories remain one of the best guides to formulation of efficient theories. The five principles of goal setting should prioritize clarity of goals. According to him, clear goals are unambiguous, specific, and measurable with a definite time of completion. Clear goals allow employees to work with specific guidelines into reaching success. Additionally, the level of challenge plays an important role in motivating people towards success. Conceivably, people judge success based on the anticipated accomplishments. Rewards increase enthusiasm and realization of more difficult goals. It, therefore, is important to strike a balance between challenges and realistic goals. Commitment allows people to understand and commit into a goal when involved. Certainly, feedback and nature f task also plays an important role in clarity expectations. It vital to adjust goal difficulty, clarify expectation, and modify tasks for effectiveness. John Stacy